Drowning
by Uphill Both Ways
Summary: The lifeguard was missing, the seconds were ticking, and it was Shizuo's fault after all. Shizaya.


The warm breeze drifted around the poolside, brushing through the damp hair of smiling faces and laughter, rippling through the cool water and touching the humid air with relaxation. The hot sun glittered playfully on the clear blue waves, crashing into diamond like shards of light as bodies splashed through the shallow pool.

Summer.

Finally; school was done with, at least for this year, and there was always a chance to escape the overbearing heat at the local pool. The scent of chlorine wafted past Shizuo's nose as he breathed in, lying under the shade of a poolside awning. The blond teen was dozing off to the lull of shifting water and giggling children, when a voice rose up above the others. Shizuo scrunched his nose in distaste, not bothering to open his eyes or move from his relaxed spot just yet.

"SHIZUO-KUN!"

The blond sighed; Shinra really didn't have to be so loud. Shizuo grumbled obscene profanities, as he sat up blearily on the chair he was reclined in, and narrowed his eyes to peer across the pool to where Shinra was waving his arms excitedly. "You could just walk over here and talk to me like a normal person," the blond stated loud enough for the other student to hear. Shinra waved a hand dismissively, and called his friend over to his side of the pool. Shizuo walked over to where the brunette was standing, clad only in his red swimming trunks and a large white T-shirt while Shinra had _layers_ of clothing still on. The pale cement reflected the sun directly into Shizuo's tired eyes, and had him seeing spots while Shinra began blabbing about one thing or another.

When the blond's vision finally adjusted, he caught something from the corner of his eye that made him completely tense and tremble with suppressed irritation. Shinra rambled on. Izaya Orihara strolled, in navy blue swim trunks and his own white T, over to where Shinra and Shizuo were standing by the pool, whistling an anonymous tune while his eyes were fixed on his phone. Izaya looked up suddenly, caught Shizuo's angry glare, and smiled. "Oh hi, Shizu~chan!"

The blond snapped his head back to Shinra, who was completely oblivious to the interruption and was explaining his love for stuffed animals. "WHY THE HELL IS _THIS_ THING HERE?!" Shizuo demanded, jabbing an accusatory finger at Izaya, who raised his hands defensively but wore the same offensive smirk. "Geeze, Shizu-chan, didn't know I was banned from the pool."

"I'm pretty damn sure they have a rule about 'No Pets Allowed'," Shizuo growled, glaring at the grinning brunette. Izaya pretended to be hurt, holding a hand to his heart dramatically and clenching his eyes shut as if in pain.

"Oh, Shizu-chan, your words are hurtful, they really are." The wicked smirk returned and Shizuo's eyes widened as piercing auburn eyes opened and laughed at him, "Even if you _are_ referring to our bedroom roles." Shizuo flushed and set his jaw, an eye twitched and he had to stop himself from destroying half of the pool right then and there. Shinra had seemed to switch to an observing mode, watching the argument unfold with a perverted smile on his intelligent face.

"Why you little _flea_, you'll get yours for talking shit like that, I swear on it." Shizuo threatened darkly, desperately trying to refrain from throwing the slender body halfway across the country. Izaya danced around the blond mockingly, brushing shoulders with him and craning his neck to catch the angered mocha gaze again.

"Will I be getting it in _bed_?"

"You fucking—" Shizuo snapped, latching his fists onto Izaya's shoulders while the brunette smiled innocently back at him. Shizuo glanced at the shining water of the pool, then back at the teen in front of him. The blond smiled, and Izaya realized what he was planning to do just a bit too late. Crimson eyes widened in panic, and Izaya's whole demeanor changed dramatically within a split second, "Wait, Shizuo I—"

But the warning went unheeded as the pissed off blond tossed the other teen's body into the middle of the glittering pool. Shizuo smirked smugly, proud to not have resorted to any _real_ violence, until he turned around and was met with the horrified gaze of his bespectacled friend. "What?" Shizuo asked gruffly, raising a brow at Shinra's odd expression.

"Shizuo, Izaya can't swim."

Mocha eyes widened in realization. _Oh_. Shizuo glanced hurriedly around the pool; the lifeguard was missing, no one seemed to have noticed, and the seconds were ticking away fast

"_Shit_."

Shizuo cursed as he dashed around the pool to where he vaguely remembered throwing the brunette, bare feet padding loudly against the damp cement. The blond ignored the "No Running!" warnings and dove straight into the pool where he saw the sinking form of his rival. Ice-like water flooded his senses, and any last traces of exhaustion were wiped from his body as adrenaline tingled in every nerve. Bubbles sliced around his face from exhaling, and chlorine burned at his eyes, but Shizuo glanced around hastily for Izaya. Finally, his peripheral caught the rapidly decreasing flailing of a sinking form, and the blond swam as fast as he could towards the drowning brunette.

The need for oxygen burned his throat, and Shizuo started getting light headed as the under-water pressure popped his ears. Shizuo began to regret his good throwing arm. At last, his fingers connected with the billowing white shirt of the other teen, who seemed to be nearing unconsciousness, and Shizuo sped towards the surface of the pool.

Air ripped into Shizuo's lungs as he gasped at the surface, only the rush of adrenaline still keeping his mind and body moving. He climbed up the side of the pool onto the cement, and hauled Izaya up next to him. Shinra hurried over to their spot, shouting directions at a numb-minded Shizuo who was kneeling in front of Izaya. The words didn't even register until a few seconds later; Shizuo was staring at the motionless form of his enemy in front of him, the prospect of death fogging his thoughts. "Shizuo, SHIZUO!"

"Huh?"

"CPR! You remember how, right?" Shinra urged, pointing to his comatose friend.

Life seemed to reignite in the blond's eyes, and he uttered a quick 'Yeah,' before refocusing on the body before him. He placed his fist over the suddenly fragile-seeming abdomen of the drenched brunette, and pumped a few times; _1…2…3…_ then Shizuo moved to cover the cold lips with his own, forcing breath down the pale throat. As Shinra watched, he caught a sudden twitch in Izaya's expression, to which Shizuo was oblivious, and realized that the brunette was, in fact, _breathing_ and forcing himself not to smile while Shizuo attended to his body.

Basically; Izaya was playing dead.

"Er, Shizuo—"

Shinra started, but was ignored as Shizuo leaned over to press his mouth to Izaya's again. Shizuo was about to pull away once more, before he found pressure returning on his lips, and cool arms suddenly sliding around his neck. Mocha eyes snapped open, to find Izaya's eyes staring lazily back at him. Shizuo immediately pulled away, falling back onto the cement, and wiped his mouth hurriedly.

Izaya giggled mirthfully and Shinra sighed heavily, while Shizuo spluttered on the pavement.

"Wha-when did—how—why wa—oh, you _bastard_!"

* * *

**A/N: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. Or anywhere else for that matter.  
Playing dead is not a healthy habit C:**


End file.
